I love ya, lil, but I can't agree with this at all. Part of the reason (aside from spending limits) that our democracy is so much more broad than the US's is that we have a multiple party system, instead of two parties (a left and right). What we SHOULD have is some sort of Proportional Representation, or Ranked Ballot. Even though neither of these strategies are perfect either, the result of either attempts to prevent parties from winning with a Plurality, but not a Majority. First Past the Post, the system we use now, has the unintended consequence of killing off smaller parties until there are only two competing parties.I'm very angry at the NDP-GREEN-LIBS for not creating a general progressive party. Every time one of them phones me -- which is all the time - I say "unite the left and I'll give you money." Or some version of "get over yourselves."
Definitely with you on the alternative voting system. I think it's the only long-term alternative to the left parties merging and us becoming another two party system. At the same time, I too look at what party is likely to defeat the Conservatives in my riding and will likely vote that way. Doesn't help that no one really excites me.
We should probably have some sort of PropRep -- and the NDP would probably disappear in a partnership with the Libs. I still wish they'd unite though, and in my lifetime. A fringe group, like the CCF (forerunner of NDP) will emerge soon after. sp00ns - do you have any idea which country has a good PropRep system? When done properly, it forces alliances and strange bedfellows.